MLA Mable Elmore enters federal NDP nomination race in Vancouver East

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      Vancouver-Kensington NDP MLA Mable Elmore has become the first declared candidate for the federal NDP nomination in Vancouver East. But she likely won’t be the only person in the race. Two other high-profile New Democrats—former Vancouver city councillor Ellen Woodsworth and Vancouver–Mount Pleasant MLA Jenny Kwan—have also revealed that they’re considering seeking the party’s nod to replace Libby Davies, who isn’t seeking reelection after 17 years in Parliament.

      In a December 21 speech to supporters at the Philippine Diamond Society Clubhouse, Elmore described how her mother, Maria, faced discrimination while working as a nurse after moving to Canada from the Philippines in 1965. “So I grew up knowing—and being instilled in me—not to accept to be taken advantage of, and also to stand up for others,” Elmore said.

      Elmore was born in Langley, raised in northern Manitoba, and worked as a Vancouver transit operator before being elected to the legislature in 2009. She recalled that her first political involvement came in Grade 11, campaigning for human rights and social justice and against apartheid in South Africa. She said that as a student at UBC, she became active in the lesbian movement and later became an advocate for people who come to Canada under the live-in caregiver program. The NDP politician also mentioned that she joined the early February 14 marches against violence against women in the Downtown Eastside. These events, held prior to the arrest of serial killer Robert Pickton, focused attention on murdered and missing women.

      “We see now the issue of the missing and murdered indigenous women gaining national and international profile,” Elmore said. “So it’s come from that early organizing days. As well, I’ve participated in many peace rallies with many of you out of the Vancouver and District Labour Council.”

      In a media scrum after her speech, Elmore told reporters that she has “great respect” for Kwan and praised Woodsworth as a “good friend”.

      “I’ve supported her on many election campaigns,” Elmore stated. “I think she would be a very strong candidate.”

      Woodsworth told the Straight by phone that Vancouver East MP Libby Davies has been a “great, great leader” who’s been a strong advocate for affordable housing, the first legal supervised-injection site, murdered and missing women, and sensible policies to address climate change.

      “I think it’s very important that we have some good people who are prepared to step forward and run for that nomination, and I’m seriously considering being one of those people,” she said.

      Woodsworth, who served two terms on council, mentioned that she’s lived in Vancouver East for 40 years, worked as an organizer in the Downtown Eastside for a decade, and served as president of Britannia Community Centre and as a board member with the Reach Community Health Centre on Commercial Drive. She added that more than 200 people have responded “very favourably” on Facebook to her potential candidacy, but she still wants to speak to more residents before making up her mind. If she runs, she said, affordable housing, which ties into homelessness, will top her list of concerns.

      “Most of us think [Stephen] Harper is going to call a spring election, so I’m assuming there will be a nomination race sooner rather than later,” Woodsworth said.

      Kwan, a former Downtown Eastside Residents’ Association worker, was elected to city council in 1993 and has been the MLA for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant since 1996. She’s been praised by leading figures in the Chinese-language media. Commentator and author Ding Guo, Sing Tao Daily editor-in-chief Victor Ho, and New Leaf Weekly editor-in-chief Frank Huang all spoke in glowing terms about her potential candidacy during a recent Omni TV broadcast.

      “Her communication with voters [and] her willingness to take on difficult issues shows she is not willing to merely serve as political decoration,” Ding told the audience in Mandarin.

      Ho declared that Kwan is “the most reliable choice”, and Huang praised her longevity in politics, calling her a “very good candidate”.

      Kwan, the party’s critic for Community Living B.C., was among 13 dissidents in the B.C. NDP caucus who opposed the leadership of Carole James in 2010. Elmore, a James loyalist, is the caucus critic for ICBC. She’s also the party’s deputy critic for finance, serving with James, who’s the caucus finance critic.

      Meanwhile, marijuana-legalization activist and entrepreneur Jodie Emery has publicly expressed an interest in seeking the Liberal nomination in Vancouver East. The Liberals last won the riding in 1993, when Anna Terrana defeated incumbent New Democrat Margaret Mitchell.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      Common Sense

      Dec 30, 2014 at 12:40pm

      I was walking in the DTES parallel to a woman who seemed to be greeted with smiles and hellos by most of the people she passed. Turns out she was Jenny Kwan.

      I may disagree with her policies, but respect where respect is due: she is liked and appreciated by her constituents (which can't be said for a lot of politicians) and that is ultimately the only thing that matters.